We are delighted to announce that “daughter in PT” got engaged tonight to her lovely young man who hails from Dimona. Yeah, the town with the nuclear reactor. No, he doesn’t glow in the dark. I asked. 🙂

His family is of Moroccan origin, my family is of yekkish (German) stock, and my other half is from a Bobover Hassidic background. So it’s going to be an interesting wedding! If I get a chance (and if I recover in time) I will update about the engagement party.

We’re not sure when the wedding is going to be. Some time after the chagim is the general estimate.

Congratulations to all, parents and children, daughter in PT and Dimona dude in particular, for this lovely occasion. May their lives be one where the road rises to meet them, and …

May love and laughter light your days,
and warm your heart and home.
May good and faithful friends be yours,
wherever you may roam.
May peace and plenty bless your world
with joy that long endures.
May all life’s passing seasons
bring the best to you and yours!

The short poem is simply a very old Irish Toast. It seemed appropriate for a young couple beginning a life together. It is such a glorious optimistic time that I always wish to be forever for all couples. Becasue it is israel, there is always a threat, so wishing it to be gone, even for a time, is a necessary salutation. I assumed most readers here already know most of the Hebrew and Yiddish toasts, so I dug out an old Celtic one that I am sure has many slightly different translations.

Now as for “Mediterranean Ululation” … all I need to do is open a window to hear it, one of the neighborhood “penguins” (strict observant style of Shiite dress….just like old style Dominican Nuns of my youth) somewhere on the street will always find a reason to go all ULULULULU … ululululu……(pbbbbffft….makes my ears hurt). No need for an Apple iPhone app. If I let either Judi, or my darling daughter, know there is one they’ll no doubt down load it and use it for a ring tone.

Mazal Tov -to one & all! She has a (semi) permanent place here to sleep whenever needed when DD(Dimona Dude ) is in town until the wedding. I’ll wash the sheets after the wedding!! Now all we have to do is diet!!(Sigh!!) lets start practicing”kulukulukulu!!! 🙂 My younger daughter said “yay reason for shopping!”
Mazal Tov to you all & to our parents too

There’s an iPhone app that will ululate for you if you’re not capable of doing so yourself–I don’t wish to stereotype all yekkes, but it’s not typically one of their core competencies, so you might want to check it out 🙂

I doubt anyone is insulted …. yodeling is a nearly world wide thing. Has been a major part of American Country & Western music since before I was born, and Still Is. That young lady is just a modern sample of the old cowboy meme. Yes, I am old enough to remember riding horseback across unfenced mountains, plains, and valleys of old central Colorado as a 13 year old. Western poets and singers all included yodeling in their repertoires … it symbolized, to me anyway, the wildness and freedom of the open range west, and the joy of just being in it, on a good horse, and grand time in my life. Funny how my days in competitive skiing also included yodeling music from time to time, just like the time with horses. Nothing beats either one. So hooray for Yekkes, the Swiss, and the Cowboys.